Protection
by Shadow Quil
Summary: Naruto and Sakura return from a mission with Yamato and Sai. The kitsune and the medic get into a fight over Naruto's overprotective nature. [NaruSaku] Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine!


Protection

"BAKA!" A female screamed as she and three men were returning from a mission. The mission itself was only a B-ranked one, but the ranking had gone up when they were attacked by a small group of rogue-nin. Even then, it was only A-rank. That kind of mission was easy for the ROOT ANBU, the kitsune Jounin and the medic Chunin-almost-Jounin, even without the added aid of Yamato to guide them. However, Sakura had found herself facing three of the enemy on her own and Naruto had to go and protect her.

"I was just looking out for you, Sakura-chan!" The blonde yelled, defending himself justly against his female team mate.

"I don't need you to 'look out for me'! I'm perfectly capable of defending myself now!" She shouted back. "I don't know _what_ Jiraiya taught you while you were gone, but I was trained by the Hokage! I don't need you to defend me any more, Naruto!"

"This is getting stupid. They _never_ stop fighting." Yamato said with a tired sigh. Sai scoffed and rolled his eyes at the comment.

"That is, unless they're directing their hate toward _me_." The dark-haired replacement stated. His words received him two icy glares from the original members of team seven, causing him to do the smart thing for once by closing his mouth tightly.

"I think Sai and I will go report the mission success to the Hokage, you two can stay and fight." Their stand-in sensei told them. Unfortunately, his words were lost in a sea of shouts and accusations being thrown between Naruto and Sakura. Sai and Yamato left them outside the gates, not that the two noticed, as they went to see Tsunade.

"Why do you see the need to constantly question me?" Naruto asked angrily. Whenever he tried to protect Sakura, she would explode on him. Not just a casual 'I do not want too much help' either. It was more of a 'back off and let me fight myself or die' kind of message she gave him.

"I trained myself to fight Naruto, not to watch you back as you defend me and continue to surpass me in whatever we do! It was always like that with Sasuke, and I though you were different, BUT YOU'RE NOT!" Sakura screamed at him as she ran into the village and in the direction of her house.

The eighteen-year-old ninja sighed and ran his hand though his golden hair at the memory of his old rival. Sasuke had long since been killed in a battle with his brother. The outcome? Let's just say that the Uchiha clan will forever remain a memory with no chance of revival. Both men died in the fight three years ago. Sasuke wasn't strong enough to kill his brother and live, while Itachi had been going blind from using his Sharingan too much. The fight was an absolute failure from the start.

Naruto decided, since the mission was already being reported, that he could go and get some Ichiruka ramen. On his way, he passed the Hyuuga heiress without muttering a word. Ever since she had confessed her feelings, talking with her had been awkward. Especially since he responded with the classic 'I don't like you in _that_ way, but we can still be friends' line. It was, to say the least, catastrophic. Even Sakura, who was a friend of Hinata's, wouldn't talk to him for a week. She didn't know that he only turned her down because he was in love with someone else.

"One bowl of beef-miso ramen, please." He requested as he took a seat at the ramen bar. The old man who owned the place threw the demon vessel a sympathetic look, since everyone in the village knew about the fight between him and Sakura now, and fetched the meal. Naruto just picked at the noodles in thought. What if Sakura didn't like him? What if his whole concept of them being together was doomed from the start? What if-?

"Hey, Naruto!" A male called to him from behind. Naruto turned and saw Shikamaru making his way towards him, still with his lazy-ass attitude displayed in body-language but his face was covered in panic.

"What is it, Shikamaru?" Naruto asked the frustrated genius.

"Have you seen Ino anywhere?" He questioned. Naruto thought for a moment. Had he passed the loud-mouthed pig on his way to the ramen bar?

"Nope." He replied with a shake of his head. "Why do you ask?"

"Argh! She's been on the war-path ever since she found out about Temari and me dating. That girl's dangerous when she's right next to you, but she's worst than a parade of S-class criminals when you don't know where she is! She could, for all I know, be right behind me!" Shikamaru exclaimed in a terrified voice. Well, a genius _is_ always right…

"SHIKAMARU!" Ino screamed from behind him, causing the intelligent Jounin to cringe in pain for his ear. "Why are you dating SAND-GIRL?! I'm _way_ better than _her_!"

"Care to say that to my face, pig!" Temari shouted from her seat at the ramen bar, unnoticed until now.

"At least I don't rely on WIND to fight for me!" Ino stated. She was half insulting Temari and half trying to convince Shikamaru that she was the better choice.

"Yeah, well at least I'm happy with my natural looks. Not only to you spent more time primping than training, but you take over other peoples bodies because you don't like your own." Temari shot back coolly. "Even Sakura-san would agree with me."

"Don't bring Sakura-chan into this fight, Sand-witch!" The argument between the two continued, but Naruto zoned out, finished his ramen and left before it turned into a fist-fight.

Normally, he would have laughed his head off at seeing Shikamaru in such a situation. It's not every day you see the cool and collected smart-ass of Konoha so frustrated, and over girls no less! However, after a fight with Sakura, he always had more on his mind and such things would only lead to another argument with Sakura over his immaturity.

"N-Naruto-san?" A small voice squeaked in question. Naruto turned to see the pale Hyuuga girl whose heart he accidentally broke. He offered a timid smile, which she returned, and faced her completely.

"Yes, Hinata-san?" He questioned in turn.

"I-I saw S-Sakura-chan t-today. She w-was in quite a h-hurry and d-didn't even n-notice me." She stated sadly, not forgetting her cute little stutter.

"So? Why should _I_ care?" Naruto snorted nastily.

"S-She was c-crying, and s-since you're her b-best friend, I though t-that you m-might know w-what was w-wrong with h-her." Hinata confessed, pressing her fingers together in a nervous habit of hers.

"What am I?! Her _dog_?! I don't know what's wrong with her and I don't CARE! I was just trying to protect her and she yells at me! She can rot for all I care, and you can go join her!" Naruto yelled at the heiress, causing her to tear up and begin to cry. The teen just realised what he did and tried to apologise, but Hinata just ran off down the street. Guilt piled up in his heart. First, he had yelled at Sakura, then he abandoned Shikamaru to the two ferocious women and now he had yelled at a completely innocent Hinata, who was just worried about her friend. He was acting like such a jerk today.

Coming to the conclusion that he was just going to cause more trouble to everyone he meets today, Naruto trudged off in the direction of his apartment to get some rest. He could apologise to Hinata the next day and find Sakura to say he was sorry to her as well. But, why should he apologise to Sakura? He was trying to save her life and she yelled at him, he didn't do anything wrong!

Naruto sighed and got into his bed, complete exhausted from the mission and yelling at innocent people.

--

When the blonde woke up, the first thing he did was try to track down Hinata to apologise. Kami knows what would happen if she told Sakura what he did. The pinkette would probably kill his then bring him back to life to clean up the mess! Not a pretty picture. Also, the last thing he needed was for Sakura to hate him for the rest of his life. So, he was tracking the shy konoichi throughout Konoha for any signs of her whereabouts.

Unfortunately for him, Hinata wasn't the konoichi he found. No, he discovered the beautiful, pink-haired angel with green eyes so entrancing that he could stare into them for hours without feeling the need to stop or do something else. She was wearing a medic's uniform and was on her way to the hospital. Naruto had snuck into the hospital once and snuck a peek at her work-times so that he could 'conveniently' appear at the right time to walk her home or go out to get some ramen with her.

She ignored him and walked passed, not even sparing a passing glance at the sorrow-filled kitsune whose heart had just been crushed. Naruto's face formed into a scowl as he spun around and caught up to his team mate, taking her by the wrist from behind to stop her from leaving. This action seemed to shock Sakura as she visible tensed. Not the reaction Naruto was hoping for, but his own choice of a scene was really unlikely to happen any time soon. He envisioned her twirling around and embracing him as soon as he took her by the wrist.

"Let go of me, Naruto." Sakura said darkly, her eyes hidden under her pink bangs. Her shoulders shook slightly and didn't show any sighs of relaxing soon, but Naruto held on. He squeezed her wrist reassuringly and turned her to face him.

"Sakura-chan, I'm sorry. I don't mean to make you upset." Naruto said truthfully. He didn't want to make her upset, but he wasn't sorry for defending her.

"Naruto, I accept your apology. However, I don't want you to think of me as weak. I don't need to be looked after all the time." Sakura stressed to him.

"I know that." Naruto confessed with a sheepish laugh.

"Then…why?"

"Huh?"

"If you understand that I don't need to be looked after, why do you constantly feel the need to step into my battles?"

"I made the mistake of standing by the sidelines before. If I had ignored Sasuke and helped him kill Itachi, he would still be here. I…"

"You what?"

"I…I can't loose another friend Sakura-chan." Naruto said with a choked sob.

"…Naruto…"

"…but, you're not just a friend…"

"I-"

"Wait…" He said, interrupting her. "I…I love you, Sakura-chan."

"Naruto-" Sakura started, but was cut off when Naruto pressed his lips to hers in a hope of not being turned down. The kiss wasn't the best, but neither was it the worst. It was full of need, love and…a sense of relief when Sakura returned the kiss. Tears fell down Naruto's cheeks as he separated from the kiss, staring Sakura in the eye.

"Sakura, I don't look out for you." He stated firmly.

"But-"

"I protect you. I protect you because you're worth the world to me. If I could keep you safe, I don't know what I'd do, Sakura-chan. I love you."

"I love you too…Naruto-kun." Sakura returned with a genuine smile.

"I love you." The said in unison.


End file.
